Undesirable Results Concerning UW-Madison
The Wisconsin Idea holds that the Universities of Wisconsin research and education should enhance the lives of all residents and that the system’s influence should reach beyond the classroom to serve throughout the state. A survey released this week by the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership, unfortunately, revealed that this philosophy is not entirely supported at UW-Madison. Survey results revealed that “conservative viewpoints face asymmetric treatment in hiring decisions and that conservative faculty who express controversial opinions experience institutional consequences at substantially higher rates than their liberal colleagues.”
A significant number of UW-Madison faculty reported that they would be notably less likely to support hiring a candidate who expressed conservative views, with faculty up to 38% more likely to penalize conservative views than liberal ones. Moreover, while liberal faculty are more likely to express controversial views, conservative faculty who do so report experiencing institutional consequences at substantially higher rates. Given that it is the tenured faculty of a department who typically decide who they hire, such an admission of outright discrimination is unacceptable. You can’t serve the people of Wisconsin if your views are wildly unrepresentative of the people of the state, or if faculty and administration are intolerant to alternative views.
I supported AB 757 to broaden who at the Universities has a say in hires, fires, curriculum, and budgeting by including the more than 5,000 instructional academic staff in decision-making. These staff tend to do the most teaching and have the strongest background in their industry, and deserve a larger role in hiring decisions. I hope this legislation passes the Senate and becomes law to mitigate ideological discrimination. In the meantime, our flagship, taxpayer-funded public university should, of course, not permit the refusal to hire people because they express mainstream conservative views. Further, the university must refrain from unfairly targeting the expression of such views. Such practices breed monoculture and feed an activist pipeline rather than offering comprehensive, diversified, and representative thoughts and curriculum necessary for developing our future leaders.
Record Numbers for Outdoor Recreation
Data released this week showed Wisconsin’s outdoor recreation industry had another record-breaking year in 2024, contributing an estimated $12+ billion in GDP for the state, a 3.8% increase over the previous record set in 2023. Outdoor recreation remains a major attraction for visitors to the state, including Brown and Oconto Counties.
A majority of outdoor recreational activities experienced growth, with the top contributing sectors including:
- Multi-use apparel and accessories: $1.3 billion
- Motorcycling and ATVing: $1 billion
- Boating and fishing: $1 billion
- Game areas: $539 million
- Guided tours and outfitted travel: $498 million
- RVing: $435 million
- Hunting and shooting: $378 million
- Climbing, hiking, and tent camping: $174 million
- Equestrian: $170 million
- Bicycling: $137 million
Thank you to all of those who work in the industry, showcasing our communities and providing services to the many visitors. Tourism remains a boon to local economies, offering exciting opportunities to residents throughout Wisconsin and beyond. It’s fantastic to see these achievements, year after year, and I’m greatly encouraged for the future of Wisconsin tourism. Let’s continue to showcase the beauty and enjoyment of Northeast Wisconsin.
Supporting Young Entrepreneurs
Supporting the entrepreneurial spirit is fundamental to our prosperity. That’s why I supported AB 266, which waives the LLC filing fee for 18-year-olds still in high school. This exemption already exists for college students, and removing this fee for those still in high school is a straightforward step to benefit student entrepreneurs.
Eliminating this barrier to entry into the business world for young adults could open the door for the next generation to become business leaders in Wisconsin. Whether they’re creating new tech or offering lawn care services, AB 266 encourages more young people to explore entrepreneurship and keep Wisconsin competitive.
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